Gurley says embedded devices ten years ago cost $3 to $4 per pound to deploy to workers.
“If you go back ten years and you want to do something that touches all the suppliers or all the workers in a given industry, you have to basically build, spec build embedded devices, right?”
Gurley notes Tesla drivers upload 115 gigabytes monthly, infrastructure impossible five years ago.
“Here here's here's someone who's who's Tesla uploaded a 115 gigabyte in a month. Right? And so these are massive numbers. And the infrastructure five years ago, your car couldn't have done this.”
Gurley cites Microsoft opening a data center every three days, with data centers consuming nearly 10% of US electricity.
“Microsoft alone's opening opening a new data center globally every three days. These power hungry operations will together consume more than 480 terawatts hours of electricity or almost a tenth of US demand.”
Gurley says China has massive advantage clearing regulatory decks permanently while US only grants exceptions per project.
“This is where I think China has a massive advantage. They could just clear the decks for good for every project going forward. Whereas we're now making exceptions maybe with the TSMC plant in Arizona.”
Gurley argues US infrastructure failure stems from self-imposed regulatory and litigation red tape.
“Well, he took all the regulation and lawsuits off the table. And so we have to recognize that one of the reasons we can't build infrastructure and the California high speed train thing is where it is, is because we've indoctrinated ourselves in red tape, both with regard to regulation and litigation.”
Gurley draws parallel to internet era when companies migrated away from Oracle and Sun as optimization replaced development.
“And five years later, they weren't on Oracle or Sun. And some have argued it went from a development sandbox world to a optimization world.”
Gurley notes early internet startups shifted from Oracle and Sun to alternatives within five years
“When all of the venture backed companies got started on the Internet, they were all on Oracle and Sun. And five years later, they weren't on Oracle or Sun.”
Gurley criticizes rural broadband spending, contrasting $250 marginal cost with expensive fiber buildout.
“And instead of a $250 marginal cost to implement a rural broadband, we're gonna get bulldozers out and drop fiber lines to a ranch in the middle of nowhere.”
Gurley calls anti-Chinese sentiment irrational given China's lead in EVs and infrastructure while America maintains false superiority.
“I think this anti Chinese mentality is a little nuts because if you look at low cost EVs, if you look at their subway stations, if you look at, they're leading us in many areas.”
Gurley argues America is run by lawyers while China is run by engineers, affecting infrastructure development.
“So anyway, that infrastructure thing's for real. And I think Dan Wong does a good job of saying that America is run by lawyers the author of of Breakneck.”
Gurley reports China builds nuclear fission plants at one-fourth the US price; South Korea does too.
“So fission being old school, not new school, at one fourth the price that we do it here in The US. So is South Korea, by the way.”
Gurley states China builds nuclear fission plants at one fourth the price of US construction costs.
“So they are building new nuclear fission plants. So fission being old school, not new school, at one fourth the price that we do it here in The US.”
Gurley cites UK, China, India, and Brazil all created instant digital payment systems years ago.
“The UK created something called Faster Payment seventeen years ago. And China has one and India has one. Brazil created one seven years ago, six years ago called PIX that's wildly successful.”
Gurley says it costs 400% more to build nuclear plants in US than in South Korea or China.
“it costs four x, 400% more to build a a a fission nuclear plant, 70 year old technology in The US than it does in South Korea or China.”
Gurley states South Korea builds nuclear plants at one fourth the US cost, calling it alarming.
“South Korea, not China, South Korea can build a nuclear fission plant for one fourth the price that we can in The US. And someone needs to be massively alarmed by that.”